From CHARLES ONYEKWERE, OWERRI
Vice President Kashim Shettima, governors, traditional rulers and other distinguished Nigerians will on Saturday, February 7, storm Imo as the state celebrates the golden jubilee of its creation.
Already, the state capital, Owerri is in a festive mood, adorning decorations and the people in high spirits, as the celebration gets underway.
Saturday’s ceremony, which will be the grand finale of the week-long celebration, will also attract business moguls, entertainers and other friends of the state.
Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is the chief host, will use the occasion to unveil a book, Imo@50: The Full Story, as well as confer awards on distinguished indigenes of Imo State and others.
The Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba disclosed in Owerri yesterday that apart from the vice president, several governors had indicated interest in joining Uzodimma for the ceremony.
Similarly, he said the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar II, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other prominent traditional rulers had confirmed their attendance at the event.
According to him, high-profile Nigerians will start arriving the state on Friday, February 6, ahead of the festivities, as this is the first time government is organising such a lavish birthday ceremony for the state since its creation in 1976.
He announced that an interdenominational thanksgiving service had already taken place last Sunday, where the governor and Imo people expressed their profound appreciation to God for his grace upon the state in the last 50 years.
He also disclosed that a quiz competition that attracted 2,313 participants online had been held with 18 persons emerging tops.
He said the governor had already released N50 million as prizes for the winners, which will be credited directly into their accounts, while a symbolic cheque would be presented to them on Saturday at the main ceremony.
The money, he announced, would be shared thus: winner, N20 million; first runner-up N10 million; second runner-up N5 million, while 15 others would receive N1 million each.
